I nath. Carrington, one of His Majesty's
messengers, being on Friday the 19th. of June
1730, about 10 of ye Clock at night, Dispatched
with Letters from both the Secretarys of State
and Mr. Reiche, at Windsor to London, was,
betwixt the Hours of 10 &11 the said night,
attacked, in a place above a mile beyond -
Longford leading to Hounslow Heath, by a
little siz'd Man, who had on a light Drab
Coloured Horseman's Coat, the Cape Buttoned
about his face and his Hat Flapped before,
his Horse of a dark Bay Coulour, with a
Switch Tail, who immediately presented a
Pistol to my Breast, and bid me to Stand
and deliver my money. Whereupon I -
answered him, I was the King's Messenger
and had nothing but Letters of the King's,
and then shewed him my Escutcheon; to -
which he replyed, Damn the King's Letters
I dont' want them or your Escutcheon or
anything else that belongs to the King,
but only your Money, and immediately
put his hand into my Pocket (the Pistol
being still at my Breast) and took thereout
betwixt

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betwixt 13 & 14 Shillings being all I had about
me, after which he said I must go along with
him, and then he took my Horse by the Head,
with his Pistol in his hand, and led him up
a Lane that was just by, and thereunder a
Hedge he dismounted his Horse and Searched
my Pockets, Boots etc.?a, and took out of my
pocket some Packets, which he swore had
money in them, but after having handled
them, and considered some time with himself,
and upon my assuring him they were Letters
belonging to the King, he returned me the
Packets unopened; and after having kept
me about 20 minutes, mounted his Horse,
asked me if I knew him (but commanded
me at the same time not to look in his Face)
and what was my name, and then rode off,
without taking either my Dispatches, Escutcheon
or anything else except my money. And I
was informed by the man at theTurnpike on
Hounslow Heath, that a Coach was just gone
by that was robbed at the same place I was, and
by the same man, according to their Description.
The Highway man at going off shook me
by the Hand, and said, that provided I would not
tell

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tell that I had been Stopp'd & robbed, when-
-ever I came that way again, if I should meet
him, I need only tell him my name, and he
would not stop me any more.